


you and i (we're fire and water)

by saiikavon



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Miraculous Ladybug AU, Post Season 8, sometimes canon, sometimes not canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-29
Updated: 2019-07-29
Packaged: 2020-07-25 20:21:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 7,907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20031778
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/saiikavon/pseuds/saiikavon
Summary: A collection of shorts/oneshots for my favorite VLD ship and current favorite ship in general, Klance. (Also my first shot at the no-caps-song-lyric title, getting with the times.)





	1. Destiny

**Author's Note:**

> So this collection started last month, prompts I created for a couple of Klance month/week events. Once I've posted them all I'm going to leave the story as complete, but I reserve the right to add more later if I'm feeling it. I actually wasn't a big fan of the first one I posted, so I wrestled with futzing with the order of the shorts, buuut my need to keep things in their original order won out. I just like the other stories more.

The Caverns of Eternal Light were sacred amongst the Amala people, that was all the paladins understood. The Amalas were, therefore, understandably distraught when Voltron arrived, recounting how the Galra had come seeking what they claimed to be enlightenment and instead brought destruction.

Long story short, they were taking the crystals that lit up the caverns, no doubt for whatever power they might have carried within them. Not that the Amalas entirely understood that, when it was explained to them; the crystals could only be useful, in their eyes, when lighting up the caverns with their ‘enlightening glow.’ They kept using that word, ‘enlightening,’ and couldn’t explain more what they meant.

“The caverns will show you all when you enter.”

The paladins tracked down the Galra general and the small troop of sentries gathering crystals in the heart of the caverns. The room was lit up in a multitude of colors, like stained glass against the walls, patterns floating in the air. At the center was the general, his own form glowing a dim, dark purple, the light fading in and out.

It didn’t take the paladins long to notice that they were glowing as well, each their own color, with different colored threads moving between them, connecting them. What caught Lance’s eye most of all was the bright, interwoven thread of red and blue linking himself and Keith.

None of the other threads were linked in quite that way.

The image sat in the back of Lance’s mind as they took down the general and brought the good news back to the worried Amalas. There was some damage to the crystals, but they would regrow in time, and the light within still glowed as brightly.

“It was the most remarkable sight,” Allura admitted. “It was as though the crystals could see the bond between us as paladins.”

“Ah, so you witnessed the Cavern of Destiny!” one delighted Amala exclaimed. “The threads within that cavern reveal all kinds of bonds to those who enter, each thread meaning something different. It is the favorite cavern, especially, of potential lovers.”

Lance and Keith exchanged a glance.

“Lovers?”

“Oh, yes! Those with strong feelings for one another enter, with the hopes that the Cavern of Destiny will show their threads intertwined, their hearts together as one.”

The entire group went silent, and immediately, all eyes went to Lance and Keith. The Amala blinked, and then looked even more delighted.

“Oh, I see!” he said. “Congratulations! The Cavern of Destiny never lies, the two of you must have a powerful bond!”

Hunk took that moment to clear his throat. “Lance, buddy, remember how you said you didn’t want to talk about your crush on Keith?”

_“Hunk!”_

Keith and Lance looked at each other yet again, both faces alight in red. Clearly, they had a lot to talk about later on.


	2. Band AU

_/Do you hear me?/_

He’d been getting bolder lately.

_/Speaking to you/_

More obvious, some would say.

_/Singing through you/_

The band had noticed.

_/Wanting more/_

The fans had definitely noticed.

_/My soul to your lips/_

Hell, the fan theories that usually populated the band forums were quickly leaving the realm of speculation and moving into fact.

_/An indirect kiss/_

The only person who hadn’t noticed, however, was arguably the one who should have noticed first.

_/Will you awaken to this?/_

After all, he was the one singing the damn songs.

_/Do you hear me?/_

Keith was pretty much at the end of his rope with Lance McClain.

***  
Keith spent most of his time during band meetings in his usual corner spot on the couch, chewing on his pencil and trying to look nonchalant while the group passed around his latest set of lyrics. Sometimes they’d already discussed the music beforehand and there would be a smattering of hummed bars to see how they fit, other times the music would be discussed around the lyrics and Keith would make changes based on what everyone decided.

Lately, the band meetings have come with a side of pitying looks from Shiro, Hunk, and Pidge, as well as a lot of oblivious chattering from Lance.

Which is mainly because of the massive crush Keith has on him, as clearly evidenced by about half of their newest album they’ve been putting together for the last four months.

Voltron and the Paladins came together about two years prior, a ragtag team scouted by Lion Records—or rather, the new head of Lion Records herself, Allura Altea, who’d been excited to see what could be done with a variety of virtually-unknown talent. The group had been something of a mess at first, as bands often are, personalities clashing with one another and talents applied poorly until they figured out how to balance things. They each found their mainstay as far as instruments went, but it took them some time to figure out what else they could do.

Shiro, for example, had started out as their bassist, but quickly became something of the group manager as well, keeping everyone calm and in line. Pidge, their keyboardist, proved her talent in all things special effects and sound-mixing, and made the production of their albums sound perfect. Hunk, their drummer, wound up being pretty good with equipment and stage-handling. Lance was their lead singer, and as such also knew a thing or two about stage presence, often talking the group into makeup and outfits to give their shows more flair. He and Keith butted heads a lot at first, over artistic differences, but something changed down the line. Keith somehow went from hating Lance, to liking him, to really liking him in the span of two years.

And that’s why Keith, guitarist and main lyricist of the band, had started writing love confessions into their songs.

Love confessions that went completely went over Lance’s head.

“I’m loving the dark and moody vibe you’ve been writing lately, Keith! I’ve been dying to have us try out the edgy look, this album will be the perfect opportunity…”

Over Lance’s head, the other band members shook their heads at Keith, sad for his predicament.


	3. Seriously?

All in all, Lance could say he enjoyed his job as an EMT. He got to be the first on the scene to save lives, or trade dumb stories with the people who had some unfortunate luck (he could relate). Sometimes he had to comfort terrified kids, and it always crushed him when someone couldn’t be saved, but he knew it was part of the job. The moments where everything went absolutely right made everything worth it.

And then there was Keith.

“Seriously? _Again_?”

Lance scowled at his boyfriend-of-six-months as he set a broken nose, which was already turning purple and blue and swelling a horrible amount. Keith did little more than wince as Lance set the break, which said something about just how often he broke himself into pieces. Lance wasn’t sure his heart could take much more—technically, he wasn’t even supposed to be on the calls where his significant other was involved, but apparently after the first three incidents, the other EMTs figured having Lance around to scold Keith for his reckless behavior might solve the problem.

It was helping. Sort of. Not really.

“At least it wasn’t the motorcycle this time?” Keith said, receiving an unimpressed look in return.

“I’m overflowing with joy,” Lance replied. He finished setting Keith’s nose and handed him an ice pack, which Keith dutifully put over his black eye.

“Lance, I’m sorry.” To his credit, Keith did sound and look sorry, but Lance was still a little too steamed to respond right away. He set about disinfecting Keith’s scraped knuckles (apparently Keith had been in a street fight, and a terrified passerby had called in) and let his boyfriend carry on.

“I’ve been trying to be less reckless, I really have,” Keith continued. “But I can’t promise that nothing will happen.”

Lance’s anger deflated a bit. He knew that was true. And it wasn’t like he was ever going to ask Keith to give up certain things, his motorcycle in particular, no matter how dangerous he knew it was. Keith built that motorcycle with his brother, after all. It was special to him.

Fighting was still way too reckless, though, and Lance opened his mouth to tell Keith that, but Keith spoke first.

“If it’s any consolation, I didn’t start the fight,” he said. “I did try to walk away.”

Lance looked at him. “What happened?” he asked at last.

“Some asshole was harassing this girl—date gone wrong or something, I don’t know.” Keith shrugged. “He was being really pushy. I tried to guide her out of the way, and he got pissed off. Broke my nose. Soon as the girl ran off, I hit back.”

Lance sighed. His shoulders slumped. “Well…I guess you can be forgiven for a noble gesture.”

Keith smiled. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.” Lance smiled back, then leaned over to (very, very gently) kiss Keith on the cheek. “You drive me crazy, but you’re a really good guy, and I love you. Besides, in this case…I can’t say I wouldn’t have done the same thing.”

Keith chuckled. “You’d have cussed the guy out, too.”

“You know it, babe.”

All in all, Lance’s job wasn’t so bad.


	4. Miraculous Keith and Lance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did at least a couple of Miraculous AUs during those klance month events, so just so you know. This isn't the last one. Also calling Keith Ladybug seems weird but I wasn't sure what else to call him? That's the hero name, it's fine.

There he was. Talking with his friends, backpack slung casually over his shoulder, looking as bright and warm as sunshine. There was such a natural ease to his posture, his shoulders loose and his smile relaxed. Keith could just stare at him all day.

That is, until Keith was caught staring and got a friendly wave in his direction, resulting in an immediate escape back around the corner he was gazing from.

“You could have said ‘hello,’ you know. Or at least waved back.”

Keith frowned and glanced down towards his shoulder, where the little black and red creature he knew as ‘Tikki’ was blinking at him all too innocently.

“You of all people should know how bad I am at…people,” Keith replied. He didn’t bother scolding her for being out in the open. There was no one in this section of the hallway, and besides, she always seemed to know just when to pop out of sight again. He figured she’d had practice with that before…after all, he wasn’t nearly the first Ladybug to exist.

“It just takes practice, Keith,” Tikki assured him. “Just a little wave or a smile will do, you don’t have to ask him out on a date right away! Baby steps.”

Keith just sighed, letting his head thunk against the wall. “Sure. Baby steps. Things are so much easier when I’m wearing a mask…”

“You’ll get there.” Tikki patted his cheek. “All my Ladybugs eventually do.”

***

Lance didn’t think he’d ever get tired of hopping around on rooftops like this. Plagg complained about being made to transform, but he got the feeling his kwami secretly liked it a little bit, too. After all, lazy as the black cat could be, there could be no arguing his love for the freedom it offered. Sometimes it was nice to get away.

Plus, there was always a chance that Ladybug was out and about. Lance—and more importantly, his romantic heart—would never complain about that.

There was so much to admire about the superhero, after all. Lance had fallen in love from day one, not just with that strong jawline and those storm cloud eyes, but with that skill and determination, the passion, the certainty of doing the right thing no matter what. Ladybug stood up for people, in a way that Lance had often wished he could have stood up for himself in the past.

Lance liked his life, sure. He had friends who liked him for who he was, and who could ever ask for more than that? Still, there were parts that he kept locked away, doubts and insecurities that bubbled up every so often. He got to forget them, for a while, when he was with Ladybug.

And there he was, in the distance, watching over the city with that dark hair flowing in the wind. Lance felt his heart skip a beat—he could almost hear Plagg groaning in his ear about it. He just couldn’t help it, no more than he could help the doting smile that crossed his face when Ladybug finally turned to him.

“Oh, hey, Cat Noir. Right on time.”

Lance winked. “I’m always on time for you, babe.”

Ladybug rolled his eyes. “Don’t start that again, cat. We’ve got a job to do, remember?”

“After you, team leader!”

Maybe one day Ladybug would return his feelings. Until then, he was just glad they could be side by side.


	5. First, let's put down some rules...

“First, let’s put down some rules…outside time for at least an hour, he can’t just laze around all day. His haircut appointment is at three, so please make sure he’s got all his energy out before then. No snacks after dinner, no matter how much he begs…what?”

Keith’s brow furrows, his mouth forming a little bit of a pout in response to Lance’s humoring smile. He’s not sure what that or the raised eyebrow is about, but Lance soon explains, following a chuckle.

“Sorry, it’s just…you didn’t strike me as one of those dog parents.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Keith asks. Next to him, Kosmo seems to take some offense as well, his large head rising from the dog bed next to the couch. Lance holds his hands up in surrender.

“No, no, sorry! That came out wrong,” he amends. “Just…some people are happy if their dog has a walk in the afternoon, some people are content with their house not being destroyed, and some people have every second scheduled. You struck me as an afternoon-walk kind of guy.”

“I don’t have every second scheduled…” Keith frowns a bit, scratching Kosmo behind the ear. The big husky mix leans into it, his tail thumping happily against the bed. He is utterly oblivious to his dad’s personal dilemma.

“You’re not nearly that bad, promise,” Lance assures him. “This one guy I sat for literally had a workout schedule, and like five different vitamins for his dog to take. I’m not even sure the dog needed any of those.”

“…yeah, okay, I’m not that bad,” Keith agrees. “Just as long as Kosmo is healthy and happy, that’s all I care about.”

Lance smiles. “That’s all that matters. Don’t worry, you called the best in the pet-sitting business. Kosmo and I are going to have a great day together, aren’t we, buddy?” He reaches over to scratch behind the other ear, and Kosmo’s tongue lolls out in delight.

Keith would be lying if he said the sight doesn’t make his knees go a bit wobbly, his heart flutter a bit. Shiro always did say that the way to Keith’s heart was through Kosmo, and as much as Keith rolled his eyes over it, he knew it was true. He loves his dog, and anyone who loves his dog at least half as much is definitely boyfriend material.

He knows the thought is all over his face, because Lance is giving him a smug look again. As if he knows exactly how attractive he is.

Keith clears his throat, effectively breaking the moment. “Okay, well, I’ll be back tomorrow morning. Be a good boy, Kosmo.”

The dog tilts his head, and watches curiously as Keith stands up to leave. On a whim, he turns around and looks at Lance, then speaks before he can change his mind.

“Oh, and one last rule,” he says.

“Which is?”

“You can use my personal number only once for non-Kosmo related purposes.” A pause. “You know. If you wanted to…go out sometime. After this.”

Lance grins. “Only once. You got it.”

After that, Keith nods. When he leaves, he’s pretty sure his face is red.


	6. Kingdom AU

There were whispers about the King. They spread through the country like a wildfire, catching every ear and growing in scandal as they passed from province to province. The King lived in debauchery and sin, the rumors said, that Earl Lance of Varadia had a private suite within the palace and spent his nights within the King’s bed. That the King refused to take a wife only bolstered the rumors.

The rumors were, of course, entirely true. As much as the King’s closest court tried to dispel them, the fact that the King himself didn’t care to deny it left very little room for doubt.

His advisors argued for the security of his reign, his people; surely no one would feel safe knowing that his line was in jeopardy. That the rulership was entrenched in the forbidden, surely doomed to take the entire country into Hell.

The King would reply, “Complete nonsense.”

His leadership, he knew, could have nothing to do with who he chose to bed or to give his heart to. If anything, he felt he would have let his country fall without Lance at his side. Keith had been angry and bitter when he’d first taken the throne, the death of the previous monarch thrusting him into the position as an unruly teenager. What right, he thought, did he have to take this place? What right did the nobles have to force him into this shape when he so clearly did not fit the mold?

Lance was never silent in court. At a glance, he often came off as a self-important buffoon, making jokes and encroaching on topics that he knew nothing about. When one looked closer, it became clearer how much his own babbling got others talking, giving him knowledge that he didn’t have before. He put people at ease, gained their trust, or at least let others overlook him until he wanted to be noticed.

More than that, however, he was genuinely kind at his core, and could read emotions like one would read a well-penned letter. When Keith ascended, Lance had been the first to kiss his ring with the utmost sincerity, and the first to tell him what he did not know he needed to hear.

“The circumstances aren’t fair,” he said. “But I think you’re going to be an amazing King.”

Keith had never thought himself interested in love, never once having so much as glanced at a woman. But looking into Lance’s eyes that day, his heart jumping at that gentle smile, he knew. He would have no one else.

It was months of shy glances and playful court banter before Keith was bold enough to invite Lance to stay, and Lance was bold enough to accept. Once behind closed doors, however, it was clear what they’d both been waiting for—passionate kisses, hands combing through each other’s hair, clothes and bedsheets almost constantly rumpled. The bedroom was their world, where they could leave the country and the politics behind, and spend the time they wanted in each other’s arms.

Lance was Keith’s stability, his strength. Rumors would not change that. Despite what anyone said, the country would flourish, so long as they were together.


	7. Angsty Cuddles

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I could honestly write and read a million fics about Lance healing after s8. I get the fics that want to forget Allura ever died, because honestly I think that she really, really shouldn't have, but there's something nice about dealing with the feelings that canon brought, too.

The first time, Lance was _sobbing_, his grip on Keith’s shirt weak but desperate as he shook and poured all his tears into Keith’s chest. Lance’s mother had called Keith in a panic after finding Lance doubled over in the juniberry field, crying so hard he could barely breathe. She said that she’d called the person Lance seemed closest to, that as much as it hurt her, this felt like something he’d carried with him from a place she’d never so much as glimpsed. Keith somehow understood, and it felt like dumb luck that he was close enough that Kosmo could teleport him right there in a second. He carried Lance up to his room once the shaking stopped, and lay there holding him well into the night.

Lance couldn’t explain why he’d started crying, except that he figured it probably had to do with Allura. Deep down, both of them felt like there was more that was hurting, though neither of them could say what it was. Maybe it was just like Lance’s mom said—something he’d carried with him from somewhere far away.

Keith wound up staying on Earth for a while. To help with the farm work, he said, and get away from all the political drama up on Daibazaal, which was partly true…neither he nor Lance spoke of the other reason, but he could see that Lance was grateful, and that meant he was welcome to stay. Kosmo was happy enough with it, too.

The second time, it was more peaceful, both of them exhausted after a hard day’s work and a hearty meal, stumbling up to the same room and curling up together without a second thought. Keith was technically set up in the guest room, and the bed was a little small for the two of them, but something about being wrapped up in each other’s arms made them both feel warm and content.

They didn’t really talk about the first time, didn’t come back to what made Lance break down the way he did. Didn’t talk about the fact that Keith steadily began sleeping in the guest room less and less, preferring to stay with Lance instead. They didn’t talk about things that they didn’t entirely understand, even though it all still hung between them constantly. Even though it was always on their minds.

The third time, Lance woke up shaking, his chest constricting as he reached for Keith in the dark and held on until he could breathe again. Keith held on, too, utterly silent and steady as Lance clung to him, though his heart was pounding.

He didn’t know why, but he asked Lance about his dream. Lance shuddered in his arms and replied in a quiet voice.

“I couldn’t see anyone’s faces. You were all gone.”

And finally, they talked about it.

How Lance had isolated himself for a long time without even realizing it, how he’d made himself content with being in the background so much that he forgot how to thrive around people, how he’d stopped letting himself want things to the point where he didn’t know if he wanted anything. How the emptiness had hit him out of nowhere, when all he saw in the field he’d planted was someone else, someone he loved that wasn’t even around to appreciate them.

“I made my life revolve around her, and being with her, and now I don’t know who I am.” He shuddered as he spoke, and Keith felt a warm tear fall against his nightshirt. “I don’t know who any of you are.”

There was a long moment of silence, then Keith asked, “How can I help you?”

“I don’t know,” Lance said. “But I’m glad you’re here.”

Keith took him by the hand that night, and they went for a walk in the fields, under the cool light of the moon. They sat together in the juniberry field and talked a little more. Lance eventually decided he wanted to clear out a section of the field and plant other things, a flower for each member of the team, so they could all be together and it would feel less like he’d be swallowed up in the endless sea of pink. Keith heard him laugh again for the first time before they walked back to the house, their linked hands swinging between them.

The fourth time, Lance settled against Keith’s chest with a contented sigh and fell into an easy sleep.


	8. After the War

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Speaking of stuff after s8...

For some reason, the thing that made it feel official was the little cactus sitting on their bedroom windowsill. There were still boxes laid out everywhere, and their bed didn’t even have the nice, new sheets on them yet (Keith insisted he’d packed them in the right box, but of course, it wasn’t there when they looked). But Lance awoke the next morning, wrapped in Keith’s arms, saw the cactus in the window and felt like there was a balloon inflating in his chest.

He giggled. It seemed absolutely absurd, but he giggled, his face lighting up in the most ridiculously happy grin as he thought to himself, _We’re home._

It wasn’t easy, getting to this point. For all that they’d won the war, things still seemed to fall apart after Allura’s sacrifice, though everyone tried their best to pick up the pieces. For most of them, it meant taking to the things they’d already loved, or things that they felt were still important. For some, that meant staying home and rebuilding what Honerva and the Galra had destroyed. For others, like Keith, it meant expanding their reach across the galaxy, spreading peace and helping those in need beyond the Milky Way. It was a positive thing, so far as the universe and the people in it were concerned.

For the team, though…something had broken, and none of them knew how to fix it.

Lance had been the most lost. He was torn between two parts of himself, both seeming incomplete with no way to join them. He loved his family, and he loved their farm, but they were worlds away from being a Paladin of Voltron, a position he’d only just begun to grasp when it ultimately came to an end. He’d loved the team. He’d loved helping people. He didn’t know what he wanted, now.

He’d jumped at the chance to go traveling again, when Keith asked him to join the relief effort on one of the old Galran mining colonies. Lance was no Blade of Marmora, but the group had become pretty informal over time, anyway, and he was welcomed with open arms. There was something fulfilling about being surrounded by others again, and more than that, something wonderful about spending time with Keith, who he missed even more than he had realized.

Falling for him had been easier than it probably should have been, all things considered. A little voice in the back of his head (that sounded suspiciously like Allura) told him that maybe he’d been falling longer than he’d thought.

He didn’t think it would matter, in the end; he knew he would always want to go back to Earth, and he never expected Keith to follow. Keith had always been happiest working, after all, and their feelings were still new and shy and unspoken.

But Keith had taken his hand and kissed him and made Lance’s heart skip with just four words.

“Let’s build a home.”

He’d packed his minimal things, said goodbye to his mother, and they went to Earth, where Lance did pretty much the same thing. The built a home by the sea, and Lance wondered at how far they’d come.

Keith insisted on buying a little cactus to keep, saying that he sort of missed the desert. They picked out one with a spiky flower on top, and set it in their bedroom windowsill where it could get plenty of sun.

It greets Lance in the morning, the light shining through those bright, papery petals, and he somehow knows that he’s where he’s supposed to be.


	9. Arranged Marriage AU

In another life, Lance wouldn’t be a prince. He wouldn’t have meetings to attend, expectations heaped upon him fit to weigh him down into a certain role. As the youngest of five, he wouldn’t be expected to take the throne or take a position in the military like his other siblings; he didn’t have a list of responsibilities a mile long. That didn’t make his current predicament much better, however.

As the youngest of the royal five, Lance was expected, in a sense, to take a diplomatic position…a position that involved leaving his family and his home to be married off to some other prince in a foreign country. Someone he’d never met and knew absolutely nothing about.

Well, okay, not _absolutely_ nothing. He had a name, and a general idea of how his new home country was going to operate. Prince Keith lived in a country known mainly for its strong military, and both Keith and his elder brother were expected to serve in one way or another. Both held high positions that befit their royal status, though Lance couldn’t be bothered to pay attention to the exact rank. He just knew it was enough to have his parents beaming at him about having a husband capable of protecting him.

Lance, on the other hand, was all ready to hate his fiancé. Not that it was Keith’s fault, exactly, but he was unfortunately part of the larger theme of helplessness and uselessness that Lance felt surrounding the whole marriage. Keith had a position, something he was good at, and would continue to be good at even after the wedding. Lance was expected to be a pretty trinket on Keith’s arm, a strategically-placed figure to show the alliance between the two kingdoms. He would do it, of course, because he loved his country, but that didn’t mean he had to like it.

He decided to live up his last few days before the wedding—and maybe he was also avoiding his fiancé, just a little. The royal family had traveled all the way here for the wedding, and afterwards, Lance would go back with them to live his new life.

Until then, he would be playing darts in his favorite tavern, enjoying a few days of anonymity and freedom.

He always snuck out to this tavern when he needed a break, and as a result, the regulars here had come to enjoy his company, and he had developed quite a skill for throwing darts. He’d gotten so good, in fact, that whenever he showed up, people got a glint in their eye and many tavern-goers would stand up to try and knock him off his throne. So to speak. No one had ever actually succeeded. Lance supposed it would be a small consolation, to leave the country with his title intact.

Round after round, he remained undefeated, two nights passing without anyone so much as touching his record. It wasn’t until his last night, the night before he was to be married, that someone new stepped into the tavern. Someone he didn’t recognize, with dark hair and indigo eyes and a scar on his cheek. Their eyes met, and the stranger smiled. Lance felt goosebumps prickle upon his skin.

He put on his most charming smile. “You look like a guy who likes a challenge. Care to try beating me at darts?”

The man raised a brow, his smile turning playful. “What’s in it for me if I win?”

“I’ll buy you a drink.”

“And if I lose?”

Lance shrugged, grinning back. “You buy me a drink.”

The stranger agreed, and they spent the next couple of hours playing—best two out of three, as agreed. Lance won, of course, but the stranger certainly gave him a run for his money. It was the closest game Lance had ever played, and it felt good to be challenged. At the end of it, the stranger bought him a drink, and they both sat down at a private table. It wasn’t a bad last night of freedom, in Lance’s opinion.

“You have a very good eye,” the stranger said. “Have you ever considered archery?”

“I was able to dabble a little,” Lance admitted. “But it’s not something I get to do often. Not something I’ll be able to do much of, after today…”

The stranger frowned. “Why not?”

Lance sighed, and gave a rueful smile. “I’m getting married tomorrow. Getting ready to spend the rest of my life as a pretty accessory.” He took a swig of his drink, grimacing at the bitter taste. Or maybe it was just his bitter feelings.

“Why do you think that?”

Lance shrugged. “What else am I good for?”

“That’s up to you to decide, Lance,” the stranger replied. Startled, Lance looked up at him, eyes going wide as he realized just who he was looking at. They’d never met, but he’d seen portraits from time to time.

His future husband was staring right back at him, a gentle smile on his face.

Lance immediately frowned back. “You…what are you talking about?”

“This whole marriage thing is supposed to be mutual,” Keith said. “I don’t want you to be miserable with me, so I don’t expect you to just sit around and look pretty, if that isn’t what you want.”

“Isn’t that what your family expects?”

“Maybe.” Keith shrugged. “But I was hoping for a partner.”

His smile was warm, and welcoming, and Lance found it warming his own heart. He slowly smiled in return, remembering their game not that long ago, and imagining being challenged like that every day.

“So…archery, you think?”

Keith chuckled. “I think my brother would be really impressed with your skills.” He laid a hand over Lance’s, and the two of them leaned in a little closer.

Perhaps this marriage wasn’t such a bad thing after all.


	10. Miraculous Keith and Lance Part 2

At the beginning, Lance was sure he’d only been trailing behind Ladybug when it came to fighting Akumas. He was the sidekick, and he was sort of okay with that—sure, it stung to be overlooked sometimes, but if there was anyone he was glad to follow, it was Ladybug.

Ladybug was the man of his dreams, after all.

As he followed, however, watching Ladybug from behind, he started to notice Ladybug looking back at him, looking for him, meeting him with a smile. He’d thought he was dreaming the first time Ladybug asked for his input during a battle—not just asked, but listened, used it, praised him for it.

Said, “Good job, partner,” and smiled, his entire being seeming to glow in the sun.

Lance froze in place, stunned, and earned a head tilt for it, a cute little pout on Ladybug’s face. The expression was enough to get Lance to smile, which only made that pout turn even more confused.

“What’s with that face?” Ladybug asked, and Lance chuckled.

“Nothing. Just…feels good hearing you call me that.”

At that, Ladybug smiled back and shook his head. “Worked up over that? Silly cat. Of course we’re partners.” He looked off to the side, expression turning the slightest bit shy for a moment Lance almost didn’t believe.

“I couldn’t do any of this without you.”

Lance rode the high for a week after that, and he brought it up whenever he saw Ladybug again. The other superhero groaned every time, lamenting his choice to say anything out loud, but it was worth it to Lance. His Ladybug never took it back, and Lance knew how he really felt. Ladybug still called for him, still called him ‘partner’ as naturally as ever, because that’s what they were.

“Won’t be long now until you fall in love with me for sure.”

“Keep dreaming, cat.”


	11. Domestic

They’d been living together almost two years when Keith realized that he no longer needed to ask what to put on the grocery list. Oh, they would still shout at each other across the hall, “Are we out of toothpaste?” or “Check the date on the sour cream and tell me if we need more.” But other details were no longer a question, no longer new, no longer something to learn.

He no longer had to ask Lance what his favorite brand of shampoo was, or where to find the face masks he put on each night; he wrote those down without thinking. Hell, he even knew where to find them in the store.

He knew other things, too, like how much sugar Lance liked in his coffee, that he liked to take spoonfuls of ice cream right out of the carton before putting it back, that he considered fabric softener a necessary expense but often forgot to use it. He knew intimate things that they once took time to explore, like how Lance liked kisses just behind his ears or how it drove him crazy when Keith laced their hands together while they were in bed. Knew that when Lance found him cooking dinner, he would hug Keith from behind and earn just a little shiver; knew how much he loved the small touch of a chocolate kiss on his pillow whenever Lance made their bed.

At one time, he imagined such familiarity mean that a couple was becoming complacent with one another, that their relationship had ceased to be exciting. But he supposed when he thought about it now, there was a little thrill in the realization that he and Lance had fallen into each other’s pace.

It meant that when they were together, they were home.


	12. Proposal

“Marry me.”

It’s such a Keith thing to do, to propose in the middle of a fight, following his whims regardless of what’s going on around him. There’s an incredible amount of trust in that, as well, distracting Lance this way while there are plasma guns firing off in every direction, knowing that Lance will still take out the sentry looming over his shoulder.

Of course Lance does; it’s practically second nature to protect the team, to protect Keith. Even when his heart feels like it’s going to jump right out of his chest, even when his thoughts are racing so fast he can’t even tell which way they’re going. It takes a minute for his mouth to catch up.

“I—wha—you—_huh_?!”

Keith doesn’t miss a beat, slicing a drone in half before dragging Lance down into cover with him. His eyes are fixed, determined, their intensity sending shivers down Lance’s spine. Lance doesn’t look away, doesn’t think he could even if he wanted to.  
“When we get back to Earth. Marry me.”

Lance’s heart is in his throat, his mouth is dry. Words and feelings bubble up and then fizzle out, one after another.

He escapes the moment thanks to Pidge shouting in their ears, _“Is now really the time for this, guys?! We’re in the middle of something, here!”_

He looks away first, and feels Keith’s eyes on the side of his face for one hot, burning second, and then Keith is launching over the barrier and back into the fray. Lance puts his feelings aside and focuses on having everyone’s back. Having Keith’s back, as always.

They’re not dating, not really. There’s no way to actually do that when you’re fighting an intergalactic war, when your time isn’t really your own. Their feelings came through mostly in lingering looks and laced through talks of the war and Earth and personal struggles. They’d learned each other without knowing, picked up pieces of each other’s puzzles like they were collecting shells, and before either of them realized it they were met with a picture. A picture that Lance would trace lovingly in the middle of the night, taking in every small detail like he meant to commit it to memory.

But there’s still so much to talk about, so much to learn. They’d shared their first kiss only a month ago, a moment shared alone, after a hard-won battle. Their second came in the same moment, then the third, a dozen more than Lance lost track of in all the passion, the desire, the relief in knowing that they were here, they were together, they were safe.

Lance had always been one to jump headfirst into love. But something about this scares him.

When the battle is done, Lance faces Keith down, throwing down his helmet. There’s anger swirling in him, fear, want, all threatening to overflow. They only rise higher when Keith stares at him right back, his expression the same as it had been on the field.

“What makes you think we’ll be the same once we’re back home?” Lance demands. His voice is shaking. “What, you think we’ll be able to do the whole—tuxedos and flowers and walking down the aisle? Do you think we can be _normal_, after all this? We’re not even normal now! We’ve never even been on a date!”

Keith’s gaze never falters. He walks up to Lance and cups his cheek, wipes away tears Lance didn’t even realize were falling.

“Lance.” Keith’s voice is gentle. “I think we all signed off on ‘normal’ the moment we left Earth in the Blue Lion. If you want tuxedos and flowers and all that—that’s what we’ll have. But for me, it’s as simple as knowing who I want by my side whether things are falling apart, or better than they’ve ever been.”

Lance looks at him, his own face a mess, all red and blotchy and wrinkling up as he cries. He’s always been an ugly crier. But Keith is smiling at him like he’s the most beautiful thing in the world.

He knows it in his heart, that Keith’s words are true for him, too.

“Marry me,” Keith says again.

Lance practically leaps into Keith’s arms, answering with a kiss.


	13. Fairy AU

When Lance was little, he met a fairy.

He was about six years old and the fairy was a boy about same age, with pale skin and dark hair and the prettiest red and gold wings that glittered in the sunlight. Lance was ecstatic. The fairy was curious. Their initial introduction went about as expected for two young boys faced with something new and strange and exciting.

“Are you a real human?” the fairy asked.

“Of course I am!” Lance replied. “Are you a real fairy?”

“Yeah, what else would I be?”

“I don’t know. What’s your name?”

“Keith. What’s yours?”

“Lance. Keith is a weird name for a fairy.”

“Lance is a weird name for a human.”

After trading that simple banter, they did what any other small children might after meeting a new friend. They spent the afternoon exploring this new friendship, asking questions about each other. It seemed that they were much the same, in many respects, liking similar games and having similar stories. Fairies told human tales about as much as humans told fairy tales, evidently. Lance found that for all that he was enchanted to hear about fairy magic, for Keith it was as ordinary as taking the bus was for Lance.

“But anyone can take the bus,” Lance said.

“Fairies can’t be around metals,” Keith said. “My dad told me that if we spend too much time around them, our wings will fall off and we’ll have to live in the human world forever.” His expression fell. “He said that’s what happened to my mom.”

Lance’s heart sank. “Oh. I’m sorry.” He let the moment sit, then in true six-year-old fashion, moved on by asking, “Do you want to skip stones in the pond?”

They parted ways when Lance’s mother called him for dinner. He excitedly told her about his new fairy friend, and she chuckled and ruffled his hair, praising his vivid imagination.

Lance didn’t bother trying to convince her; he could be okay with letting Keith be his own little secret. He kept going back to that spot to play with Keith, day after day, sometimes with time in between when they couldn’t meet, but they still always came back.

Until one day, when Lance feared he would never see his friend again.

He was ten years old, heading to the same spot they always met. He called Keith’s name, but got nothing in return, and so he went deeper into the forest to look. Finally, in the distance, he saw a glint of red and gold, and he ran towards it, expecting to find his friend hiding in the brush.

Instead, he came upon only his friend’s wings, lying sadly in the dirt. He searched the forest for as long as he could, but Keith was gone.

He ran home crying. He sobbed in his mother’s arms, weeping for his lost friend. He didn’t know what had happened, but he was sure he would never see Keith again.

He never forgot about the fairy he’d met all those years ago. Even when he was eighteen years old and getting ready to head to college, he thought of the friend he’d made and those pretty red and gold wings. He often wondered what happened to Keith, after he lost them. He hoped he was able to go somewhere safe, perhaps find his mother who’d lost her own wings.

When Lance moved out, he said goodbye to the forest one last time. His thoughts were of Keith as he went up the stairs to his new dorm room, always in the back of his mind, coming sharply into focus when he saw an all-too familiar face standing right in front of his room. Lance froze in place.

There could be no mistake. He saw the same pale face and dark hair, those indigo eyes. He held a box in one arm as he fumbled for the room key. The click of the door opening seemed to awaken something in Lance, and he finally stepped forward.

“Keith?”

Keith turned. His eyes went wide, and Lance knew that he wasn’t wrong. Keith smiled.

The next thing he knew, Keith’s box had fallen to the floor, and Lance found his arms full of one very happy fairy.

He hoped they would never be separated again.


	14. Miraculous Keith and Lance Part 3

Sometimes Lance stares out his window and images he can see his Ladybug jumping around on the rooftops, a pretty silhouette against the sunset colors in the sky. He sighs wistfully and imagines himself there, too, both of them in an embrace, sharing a kiss.

It’s a futile daydream, perhaps. _“I’m sorry, Cat Noir, but I’m in love with someone else.”_ His heart twists, imagining the lucky boy who has Ladybug’s courageous heart. He wonders if they’re together already, or if Ladybug is keeping his distance, keeping the one he loves safe. He can easily imagine the latter, knowing how noble Ladybug is, how much he cares about his job as a hero and the people he’s meant to save.

Lance sighs again.

“Are you off in lala-land again?” Plagg groans. “C’mon, Lance, get your mind off Ladybug and get it on some snacks, I’m starving!”

“You’re always starving.” Lance rolls his eyes and hands Plagg a wedge of cheese, easily tuning out the sounds of his kwami gobbling it down.

“And you’re wasting your time worrying,” Plagg responds, once his belly is full of cheese. “As far back as I can remember, Ladybug and Cat Noir have always been a pair, so it’s pointless to get all mopey about it.”

Lance perks up at this. “What do you mean by that?”

“I _mean_, the earrings and the ring have always wound up with two people who were destined to be together in the first place,” Plagg replies flippantly. “They’re supposed to work together, so I guess the universe just knows how to find a match, it’s that simple.”

“You mean…Ladybug and I…?” Lance’s heart does a little flip. Could it really be true?

Plagg shrugs. “It could just be a coincidence. I’m not supposed to know all the secrets of the Miraculous anyway, so what do I know? Now, give me more cheese!”

Lance gives him another wedge, then turns back to the window, lost in his daydreams again. Once more he sees himself and Ladybug on the rooftops, kissing each other under the moonlight. Perhaps it isn’t futile after all.


End file.
